Earlier today it was reported that the Notre Dame Church has burned down in Paris in a massive fire:
The spire atop the iconic Notre Dame cathedral collapsed amid a devastating fire at the Paris cathedral on Monday that has been burning for the past two hours.
Images and video showed flames and thick plumes of smoke billowing up and around the spire, which is surrounded by scaffolding. Amid the fire, the flaming spire leaned to one side and then collapsed onto the burning roof.
The fire rapidly spread and took over the iconic cathedral as onlookers scrambled to get a view of the destruction, even as soot and cinder fell onto them.
Firefighters atop cherry picker cranes sprayed water onto the church in an attempt to calm the flames, and the smell of smoke emanated through the air. The French Interior Ministry said 400 firefighters have been mobilized to deal with the blaze.
The firetrucks had difficulty getting to the scene, located on an island in Paris, amid the daily afternoon rush hour. Police said on Twitter the public should avoid the area and allow emergency vehicles into the scene.
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said exceptional measures are being taken to try to save the cathedral.
It was not immediately known what caused the fire and whether anybody was injured. The cathedral has been surrounded by scaffolding and construction work was being done.
The fire, just days before Easter, was met with horror by Parisians and tourists.
Thibaud Binétruy, who lives in Paris, said he saw the smoke while walking home with a colleague and was gripped by the sight.
“When the spire fell, the crowd reacted with ohhh and ahh, but I guess most of them were just shocked silently,” Binétruy said. “It’s awful to see such a symbol disappearing in front of you. It’s been there for so many years and in a few minutes half of it disappeared … crazy. Paris without Notre Dame, madness.”Patryk Bukalski was at a café near the cathedral when he started smelling smoke.
“A bartender said the Notre Dame is on fire, so I left and saw this horrible picture,” he said over Instagram.
He said people are standing outside, watching and crying.
“It’s horrible. It’s a symbol of Paris,” Bukalski said. “It’s just sad. I don’t know what more to say.”Another witness, Anne Marie, spoke with tears in her eyes.
“In Paris, it’s a monumental symbol — every person with different religions are really moved and saddened,” she said. “Paris without the cathedral is not Paris anymore.”Notre Dame’s foundation stone was laid in 1163 by Pope Alexander III, and the cathedral was completed in the 13th century. Today, with its towers, spire, flying buttresses and stained glass, Notre Dame is considered a feat of architecture as well as a major religious and cultural symbol of France.
Located in Île de la Cité, a small island in the middle of the city, the cathedral is one of Paris’ most popular attractions, drawing an estimated 13 million visitors a year.
The central spire was built in the 19th century amid a broad restoration effort, partly buoyed by the success of Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” in 1831.French President Emmanuel Macron postponed a planned speech Monday night because of the Notre Dame fire, a spokesperson for the Elysee Palace said.
“Notre Dame of Paris in flames. Emotion for a whole nation. Thoughts for all Catholics and for all French. Like all our countrymen, I’m sad tonight to see this part of us burn,” Macron said on Twitter.
Macron arrived at the scene, accompanied by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and first lady Brigitte Macron, as well as the Paris prosecutor, who has opened an investigation into the fire.
US President Donald Trump said it was a “terrible, terrible fire” and lamented the damage done to the historic cathedral.
“That’s beyond countries, that’s beyond anything,” he said. “It’s a part of our culture.” (source, source)
This news is bad enough, and for multiple reasons. However, noting that there needs to be an investigation, details are still emerging, and that no one has been identified yet as the culprit, Muslims all across the Internet have been posting about this on facebook, laughing at the Church burning down:
Et devinez qui se réjouit de l’incendie de #NotreDamedeParis…. 😡 pic.twitter.com/XG6pu3VqpC
— Damien Rieu (@DamienRieu) April 15, 2019
(source)
One can only imagine if it was a mosque, for actions speak louder than words.
But it was not only Muslims, as some Jews also had comments of a similar nature (here, here, here):
That said, and while it has yet to be determined how the fire started, the fact is that each tweet mocking the church burning is fresh tinder to the yet re-emerging political revolutionaries in France.
The Muslims may have a lot of influence, and they are a noted social force, but they still do not have power. If anything, they are cannon fodder in waiting for one with the desire to use them as such.
The Church is a major “symbol” for many in France, and many people do not like Islam. The fact of such actions being so open over this matter on the part of Muslims simply gives those who already do not like them a reason to hate Muslims and a reason to either partake of or to consent without care to their being killed, possibly in large numbers.
Genocide does not solve a man’s problems. However, the fact is that regardless of how this fire started, the political and social friction generated by it is going to be much more serious than the actual fire itself because the sparks generated by the friction are falling of tinder for war.
For the Christian, while it is good to be upset, one must also look at this incident as another reason to continue working, preparing, and getting ready for what is likely going to be a serious future conflict on a global level.